Notes: Friedmann, RMU Rolling

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Hot teams like RMU, Northeastern and Cornell highlighted in this week's notebook.

By Nate Ewell

David Friedmann has eight of his 13 points on the season since Christmas.

Friedmann, RMU rolling – Robert Morris has enjoyed a remarkable turnaround in the second half, with last weekend’s sweep of Air Force running the Colonials’ record to 6-1-1 in the new year. Sophomore David Friedmann (Toronto, Ont./Toronto Jr. Canadiens-OJHL) scored both game-winning goals in the sweep of the Falcons and has 8 points in his last 11 games (5g-3a). Friedmann came to RMU with significant offensive skills and an intriguing background. The Canadian/Slovakian dual citizen has represented both countries in international competition, most recently winning gold last summer with Canada at the Maccabiah Games in Israel.

Roy prepares for encore – Last year’s feat was as impressive as it was unlikely – Northeastern’s Kevin Roy (Lac-Beauport, Que./Lincoln-USHL/ANA) capturing Beanpot MVP honors not only as a freshman, but one on a losing team. This year, the dynamic left wing hopes to lead the Huskies to their first Beanpot title since 1988, beginning with Monday’s game against Harvard. Roy’s sophomore campaign has been even more impressive than last season, leading NU to a No. 10 national ranking and sitting just three goals and three points shy of his totals as a freshman. As he showed last year, he can make up that difference in one night at TD Garden.From last year: The Globe’s John Powers on RoyMonday’s games will air on NESN. Roy will appear on NHL Live (NHL Network, 5 p.m. ET) this Friday and his coach, Jim Madigan, will be on NHL Network Radio (SiriusXM) Thursday at 8:45 a.m. ET.

Big Hil(brich) – Sophomore Christian Hilbrich (Port Credit, Ont./Indiana-USHL) doesn’t just fit the stereotype of big, strong Cornell forward, he breaks the mold. At 6-foot-6, Hilbrich is the tallest player in the program’s history, on a team that, by average, is the tallest in college hockey (6’0.85”). After coming on late in his freshman season, Hilbrich now has five goals in the last five games, and his eight on the year trail only his former junior teammate Brian Ferlin (Jacksonville, Fla./Indiana-USHL/BOS) on the roster. Hilbrich and Ferlin skate the wings alongside senior Dustin Mowrey (Burnaby, B.C./Victoria-BCHL), and have led the Big Red to a 3-0-3 record since the holiday break.

Vegas native pays off for BSU – Minnesota Wild fans know, thanks to former Denver star Jason Zucker, that Las Vegas can produce talented hockey players. Perhaps that helps lessen the surprise of another Sin City native excelling in the northern part of the state for Bemidji State. Sophomore Cory Ward (Las Vegas, Nev./Aberdeen-NAHL) has proven to be one of the nation’s best goal scorers – his 16 tallies ranks tied for sixth nationally, while his 14 at even strength trail only BC’s Johnny Gaudreau (Carney’s Point, N.J./Dubuque-USHL/CGY). Undrafted despite 68 goals in two years for the NAHL’s Aberdeen Wings, Ward has led the Beavers to an 8-8-4 mark in WCHA play.Bemidji Pioneer, Dec. 4: Cory Ward staying hot

Rumpel leads UW – A preseason top-two pick nationally, Wisconsin stumbled a bit out of the gate with a 3-3-1 start. Part of that was due to an injury to junior goaltender Joel Rumpel (Swift Current, Sask./Penticton-BCHL), who is 11-2-0 on the year and had won nine straight prior to Saturday’s setback vs. Ohio State. Rumpel and the No. 9 Badgers head on the road for the first time since November this weekend with two games at Michigan.Friday’s game is on BTN; Saturday’s game is on NBCSN

Brady fills holes on UNO D – Nebraska Omaha had a big hole to fill on defense this year with the departure of 6-foot-9 Andrej Sustr, who has spent most of the year with the Tampa Bay Lightning, as well as Bryce Aneloski and Tony Turgeon. Freshman Ian Brady (Lombard, Ill./Cedar Rapids-USHL/Draft eligible) has helped ease the pain of their departure, leading Maverick defensemen in scoring and ranking second nationally among freshmen defensemen with 14 points. Brady comes by his offensive skill naturally – he was a forward in youth hockey, only moving to defense full-time while at Cedar Rapids in the USHL. UNO, fourth in the NCHC, hosts third-place St. Cloud State for two games this weekend.

NHL Note of the Week

The 19 former NCAA goaltenders in the NHL have combined for a .920 save percentage and a 181-130-41 record through Tuesday’s games. That’s 10 games over .500, even considering OT/SO losses as losses, and significantly above the league average save percentage of .913.

Fries at the Bottom of the Bag

The addition of Mathias Lange (RPI) and Andreas Nodl (SCSU) to Austria’s Olympic team brings the total number of NCAA representatives competing in the men’s hockey tournament in Sochi to 32 … Bentley’s Steve Weinstein (Los Angeles, Calif./Vernon-BCHL) shares the national lead in assists and has set a single-season school record with 30 … Of 18 two-game series last weekend, only four teams recorded sweeps: Connecticut, Michigan, Niagara and Robert Morris.